⚠️LIVE: Same Tupolev Tu154M previously avoided Turkish airspace by flying over Caspian, Iran & Iraq; now departed Hmeimim air base returning back to Russia, likely to Chkalovsky, through Turkish airspace. Who was the passenger? – YorukIsik (tweet)

Tu154 is a passenger plane. It was over Iraq 5 hours ago. I wonder if it’s some representative or ambassador. Turkey allowed a different Russian plane, a cargo jet, to fly over its territory 5 hours ago for Syria.

It is suggesting, that Assad or someone of high profile returned to Syria, so he avoided Turkish airspace while doing so. This would make sense after Syria was under threat from U.S., French and British strikes, that Assad would be in Russia during that time. The plane returned to Russia, through Turkish airspace, because there was nothing significant to lose by that flight.

The second question is, why does Turkey (Erdogan) allow any Russian flights over it to Syria? The Bosphorus Strait is different, because there’s some long time treaty over it.

Chkalovsky is near Moscow. Return flight of Tu154M after likely taking someone of significance to Syria. It avoided Turkish airspace headed towards Syria, and it flew through Turkey on it’s return to Russia.